Does Your Business Have a Unique Selling Proposition?

by Joseph Milillo
(Long Island, NY)

Excerpt from The Secret to Small Business Startups by Joseph Milillo www.BusinessBook4U.com

When getting your new business ready for market, the fundamental question you have to ask is; does this business idea fill a need that is not being filled or is being filled poorly? If the answer is yes, then you have a Unique Selling Proposition.

Maybe your idea is not new. Maybe there are other companies doing exactly what you want to do. That’s OK, but what are you going to do that is different from the others. Can you do it faster? better? cheaper? Do you have better colors? free shipping? anything that will set you apart from the rest?

If you have a good USP, you have a ready conversation starter. This is perfect for elevator pitches. An elevator pitch is a conversation you can have with a stranger that will get him interested in your product in less than a minute.

As if you were alone with him in an elevator and had his attention until he gets to his floor. A USP is also great for print ads or any advertising you do.

Here are some examples of famous USPs. Domino’s Pizza, delivery in 30 minutes or less, or its free. Or, Federal Express, guaranteed overnight delivery. When Federal Express, now FedEx, came up with that, the only other option was the post office which took at least a week to get from New York to California.

They took that USP and made a catchy slogan; “When it absolutely positively has to be there overnight.” That was a huge USP at the time and it established FedEx as the premier overnight delivery company. They also had the kind of name that made them sound kind of official and trustworthy.

You don’t need to have a Unique Selling Proposition, but it sure helps.

Get marketing ideas like this, as well as information on every aspect of starting your own business at: www.BusinessBook4U.com